Washing machine



July 28, 1931. 1.. G; KNAPP WASHING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July16, 1927 Z Z fizz/0275f: e and 6 flapp, OLQMQQQ WM July 28, 1931. L. G.KNAPP WASHING MACHINE Filed July 16, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 A. w 0 y w wW, .,-\\\\\\\.\\MIM- Y\\\\\\ I! IE5? w 1 H, a@ O m h m llltt .k Pl'f 2 0r n m I! Zn I III. I 1 I H a I l 1 w m Z a M E 2 w M .M illl m v w m. wa w H m W 8 m a July 28, 1931. G. KNAPP ,8

WASHING MACHINE Filed July 16, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 mmumm m (mm, I l

Patented July 28, 1931 UNITED STA res P N OFFICE LELAND e. mixer, OFCHICAGO. 'irinrnoxs,

tion to machines wherein a washing vessel is mounted in a frame work orcab net to be intermittently driven .by means of a motor mechanismmounted on said frame work. Among the objects of the invention is amachine of the foregoing type characterized by a novel clutch mechanismfor transmit ting the movement of the motor to the washing vessel andthe cooperative relationship of said clutch mechanism with the parts ofthe machine whereby a simple, eflicient and economic structure isobtained. i

The inycnti'on =will be best understood from the following descriptionof exemplifications t'hereot, reference being hadto the accompanyingdrawings, wherein Fig. l is an .elevational View of a washing machineembodying theinven-tion, with the zfront wall out off along the line I-Iin Fig. 1

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional jview through the machine :alon grtheline IL -11in Fig. l; f

Fig. his a vertical sectional view ott'he upper portion of the machinealong the line III-Illin Fig. 2; Y j H V Fig. l is a view similar toFig. 1 of a modification of the invention; I r

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view through themodi-fication along theline V' Vin 4; y 7

Fig. .6 is a sectional View of a portion of said machine along the lineVIVI in Fig. 5; and Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectional View of the clutchmechanism along the line VII p Assicno'n 'r'o MONTGOMERY WARD & 00., mo,or CHICAGO, nimnois, A CORPORATION on ILLINOIS- MACHINE 1927. Serial No.206,213.

while making such mechanism simple, .efliclent, readlly accessible andreliable.

In the washin-g'mach-ine ofthe oscillating type a tub in the form of aflattened cylinder is ,givena limited oscillatory motion,

imparting thereby to the washing fluid in versing-cylineler machine aperforated c'yl inder in which the'tabric's thatrare to be washed areplaced is given a rotary movewithin a tub containing the cleaningfl-ui-d, the cylinder rotating alternately first in one direction andthen in another direction, or, in some cases, only in one direction.

My invention provides a novel mounting or support for the movablewashing vessel of either of the foregoing types of machines, combinedwith a -simple clutch mechanism for imparting the required motion tothevessel. Theqmounting and clutch mecha nism are such as to permitutilization of the same framework or cabinet for either type of machine.I

An eXempli-fication of the invention as appliedto a machine of theoscillatory type is shown in Figs. llto 3. A horizontallym-ountedflattened cylindrical washing. tub I is arranged :for oscillatorymovement around the horizontal axis 2 thereof. The tub is held in acradle comprising. a rearend casting 4 and a front-end casting 5secured-to theefnd walls oi? the-tub and joined to each otherby suitablestiffening members 6 supporting the bottom of the tub.

The tub is mounted in a square washing cabinet. comprising a frameworkof angle iron posts 11 that are stiiln-ed by suitable cross members 12extending, between the posts. Metal sheets 13 extending between theposts 11 and welded thereto constitute the walls of the cabinet andserve to additionally stiffen the same. In order :to give to the tub 1the oscillatory or rocking movement referred-to above, the rear andfront castings & and 5 of the cradle providea trunnion 'sup por-t alongthe "horizontal axis of the tub. The rear trunnion support comprises asection 14 journaled in a suitable bearing casting 15 secured to therear wall housing.

of the cabinet. The front trunnion support comprises a cylindricalforward extension 16, on the front casting 5 of the cradle, fitting overa shaft 17 of a clutch mechanism 18 through which movement is impartedto said tub.

The clutch mechanism 18 comprises a cast, box-like clutch housing havinga front wall or traverse 21 extending between, and secured to, the twofront posts of the cabinet as by bolts 19, adding additional stiffnessto he structure, and a rear wall 22 that extends in spaced relationshipfrom said front wall and is stiffened thereagainst by means ofstiffening ribs 23. A free space is thus left between the front and rear'walls of said Extending traversely' through. the center of the clutchhousing is the aforementioned shaft 17 having an inner turned-downportion 25, the end of which fits into the cylindrical extension 16 ofthe tub to support the same for rotary or oscillatory movement. Thefront portion of the shaft 17 is journaled in a bearing extension 26 inthe outer wall of the clutch housing. A latch 27 pivoted at 28 on thefront wall of the housing, is arranged to engage a circular slot 29 inthe outer shaft end so as to lock the same against axial movement whenthe machine is in an assembled condition. The portion of the shaftprojects in front of the cabinet and forms aknob 30.

The inner portion 25 of the driving shaft is journaled in a cylindricalbearing shell 31that is inserted through \a suitable opening in theinner wall 22 of the clutch hous ing and secured thereto by a nut 32threaded over said bearing shell on the outer side of said wall, saidshell having a shoulder 33 bearing against the inner side of'the wall. Ametal sheet constituting a partition 35 separating the space within thecabinet into a compartment around the tub and a compartment housing theclutch and power mechanism is held in place by the nut 32.

' Mounted on the shaft 25 within the free space between the outer wall21 and inner wall 22 of the clutch'housing there is a driving clutchmember 41 and a driven clutch member 42 for determinedly transmittingoscillatory or rotary movement to the tub. The driving clutch member hasthe form of a flat disk provided with a central hub por- 'tion 43surrounding the shaft 25 and ar ranged to freely rotate thereon. Aplurality of teeth or driving projections 44 extends from said disktoward the driven clutch member. The driven clutch member 42 has alsothe form of a disk disposed opposite the disk of the driving clutchmember 41 and is also providedwith a hub member 46 fitting theturned-down rear'portion 25 of the shaft and. is arranged for free axialclutch members may be effected by sliding the driven clutch member onthe shaft until the projections 44 come into the interdental spaces'48of the driven clutch member. By sliding the driven clutch member 42 backso as to release said. engagement, the driving'connection isinterrupted. The driving clutch member thus constitutes the male partofthe clutch while the driven part of the clutch member constitutes thefemale part thereof.

As seen in the drawings, the outer diameter of the driving clutch member41 is somewhat larger than the diameter of the driven clutch member 42,the outer'portion of said driving clutch member constituting a shoulderadapted to bear against inwardly projecting portions 51 of the rear wallof the clutch housing to prevent axial movement 0 1; the driving clutchmember on the shaft 1 I The female clutch member 42 is moved in or outof engagement with the male clutch member by means of an actuating lever55 having a pair of fingers 56 fitting into a reduced neck portion onthe hub 46 of said female clutch member, the lever being pivoted at anintermediate portion thereof on a cap bolt 57 screwed into the left-handside wall of the clutch housing. A handle arm 59 that is secured to thefree end of the actuating lever 55 by means ofa draw bolt 60 serves toextend said lever outside of the cabinet'to permit manipulation duringthe operation of the machine. 7

In the wall portion of the cabinet through which said handle arm 59extends there are provided two short vertical slots 61 intercon Theactuating lever and the exten- 1 s'ion thereof have a certain amount ofresilicncy to permit slight bending thereof in vertical direction andare so biased as to drop into the vertical slots 61. In order to bringthe lever from one position to another, the handle is slightly liftedupward to bring it to the height of the transverse slot, then movedalong said transverseslot to the other position and permitted to dropinto therother vertical slot.

To take up any variations in the relative location of the slots 61 andthe mounting of the lever 55, the handle 59 and lever 55 may berelatively adjusted, loosening the bolt 60 and then tightening the samein the nnin a jus e p si i n, ifl a corr ga ions 6. v in the cooperatingsurfaces on the lever55 and handle 59 looking said two nembers againstmovement withrespecttoeachfother.

T he driven clutch member 42 has a downwardly-extending rearwalfdly-bentarni 71 f tting into a verticaltslot 72 ill the front.- cnd casting 5 onthe tub cradle to provide ,a positive driving connection between saidclutch member and the tub. lVi'th the fore going arrangement the innerend of the driv ing shaft constitutes only the central support of thetub while the driving torque for oscillating the tub is applied throughsaid driving arm ,71 of the clutch, the shaft lflthe female clutchmember 42 and thetub oscillating in unison.

This arrangement provides a very firm support and driving connection forthe .tub while permitting ready removal thereof from the cabinet. Ifsuch removal is vdeT sired, the latch-28 is lifted and the shaft 17 ispulled toward the front by means of the knob portion 30 until the innershaft end clears the cylindrical extension 16 on the front casting 5 ofthe tub cradle. The tub 1 may thereupon be lifted upward and .remowedirom the cabinet, the supporting journaling portion for the rear shaftmember 1l being open on the top. In order to prevent the shaft 17 fro nbeing pulled out fully from the clutch housing,a set screw 74 isprovided on the reduced shaft portion 26, fitt ng nt a yivay in the hubpo tion of the female clutch member 512 opposite the driving key 47,said screw being adaptedtobear against the inneredge of the drivingclutch disk {l1 when said shaft is pulled to the. front.

In order to impart to the tub the agforementioned oscillatory movement,the driving clutch member 41 is provided with a driving arm 81 which isengaged by the upper end of a pitman rod 82 leading to the motor orpower mechanism 83 that is mounted in the bottom of the cabinet. Themotor mechanism compr s an e t al motor 8 d i ma thro gh a V- h -P t 5and a-pu ley 8.6. WllICli in turn imparts movement to a 1 train of gears87 to 91. From one of said gears rotary movement is transmitted to avertical wringer shaft 92 mounted adjacent to a side wall of the cabinetandhaving at its top a coupling box 93 into which a wringer of familiarconstruction maybe insorted. This part of the machine' does notconstitute a subject of the present invention and is therefore notfurther described.

From another of said gears rotary motion is imparted to a crank arm 95provided with a wrist pin 95 engaging the lower end of the pitman 82,thereby translating the rotary movement imparted to the gears by heelectr mot r into a eciproc ting movement of the pitman.v The up-and-dvvn re ipm ati g-m vemen of th pi man tarnnmparts osci latory mov ment ohe (cliju ng eiatch e nb r )Vhen the two dut h members are 111 n a emnt, 1; is

.osillatorymovement is imparted to the mb 21 throug themed' um of thedriiiinga 1 flBy' placingthe female clutch member .out of engagement withthe male clutch .men ber, flie oscillatory movement .of the tub l'is stw d- :A sh ldin s iae 98 extending b tween a roller 9 .at' h bottom of hc ad and a uppe t nglug 1 a t bot tom of the cabinet holds the tubnormally in 'ha i e a n s ti n- In he oscilla or m chines of the fo.gqing type nui k re e sal Q IIXQ iQ take Place, and dew a e a ly a getorceis requir d t ret rd th l rge bodyithat is in motion, andaccelerate it in opposite direction. Accordingly, a relatively largepower transmitting mechanism is required. The arrangement .accordingtomy invention secures the required torque transmitting connection with aminimum of parts and in a limited space. The two clutch. members may .bemade relatively large and in the preferred arrangement the two clutchdisks are about five inches diameter. The vutilization of the clutchmechanism as one trunnion support for the tub greatly simplifies theconstruction of the machine and the mounting of the power ransmittingparts thereof, the .clutch Zhousing constituting what :be termed abracket for supportingthe tub on a side wall of the ;cahinet. The'clutchhousing with its front Wall vextending between the two standing angleiron supports ,of the cabinet adds additional stiffness to the entirestructure in the portion which has to transmit the greatest forces. Astrut 102 extending between the gear train mechanism .87 to 91 and theclutch housing serves to brace the two parts with respect to each other,and further reduces the stresses within the framework of the cabinet,

The construction described above permits adaptation of the same cabinetwith substantially the same power driving mechanism for washing machinesof, various types, and in Figs. d to 7 I have shown a reversiblecylinder washing machine arranged to be. mounted within the same cabinetand utiliz ing substantially the same driving mechani'sm and clutchsupport as the oscillator machine of Figs. 1 to 3. The reversible,-

cylinder washing machine comprises a semicylindrical tub or troughsupported in a cabinet of the same construction as that axiallyextending journal 113 fitting into a corresponding bearing 114 securedto the rear wall of the tub structure. The forward end of the cylindercarries an end casting 115 provided with a forwardly extending boss 116that has in its center a broached hole 117. Into this broached hole fitsthe inner end of a driving shaft 118 that constitutes the other journalof the washing cylinder 111. Said driving shaft 118 is in every respectidentical with the driving shaft 17 of the mechanism in Figs. 1 to 3,except that the inner end thereof has milled flats to fit into thebroached hole of the extension 116 in the front casting of the cylinder,thus securing a driving engagement between said two parts. The drivingshaft 118 is supported in a clutch housing 119 of the same constructionand shape as that of .the oscillating washing machine described above,all the parts of the two clutch mechrack.

anisms being exactly alike, except as specifically referredvtohereinabove.

The female or driven clutch member 120 differs from that in Figs. 1 to 3in that it does not have the downwardly extending driving arm,71, themotion being, in the present instance, transmitted through the lockingengagement between the rear end of the driving shaft and the'cooperatingbroached hole in the front extension 116 on the cylinder. The drivingclutch member 121 differs from that shown in Figs. 1 to 3 in that itdoes not have the driving arm 81 but is provided instead with a pinion123 surrounding the hub portion of said clutch member. Motion isimparted to the driving clutch member through a rack 125 engaging saidpinion 123, the lower end of said rack being 'journaled on a wrist pin126 of a gear wheel 127, constituting a part of a gear train mechanismin a power plant 128 that is in its general layout and arrangementsubstantially like that of the power plant in the oscillator machine ofFigs. 1 to 3, except for changes in the gear ratio required to impart tothe machine the speed best suited for the particular type of washing. Iv

In order to secure proper engagement of the teeth of the rack and of thepinion, the back side of said rack bears against a roller 131 which ismounted on a swinging arm 132 that is pivotally secured to the frontwall of the clutch housing, said arm being pulled by means of a coilspring 133 towardsaid The roller thus tends: to press the rack teethinto engagement with the pinion teeth and resiliently prevents said rackfrom receding back out of engagement with the pinion. In order toprevent the teeth of the rack from being pressed fully into the teeth ofthe pinion, in which case jamming and breakage of the teeth would occur,there is provided an adjustable stop limiting the forward movement ofsaid roller, said stop comprising a threaded bolt portion 135, Fig. 7,fitting into a threaded hole in'the front wall of the clutch housing,the inner end of said bolt portion havingan eccentrical lug extension136. The lug extension 136 of the bolt is arranged in front of the upperend of the swinging groove 141 for receiving a' radial ridge 142 in theroller 131 pressing against the back of the rack.

As in the case of the oscillating machine, the washing cylinder may bereadily removed from the tubby unlocking the driving shaft 118 andpulling out the rear driving end of said shaft from the broached openingin the extension 116 of the front casting of the cylinder, and thereuponlifting said cylinder from the tub.

In operation, the rack imparts to the driving clutch member 123alternate rotary movements in one direction and the opposite direction,which movements are transmitted to the washing cylinder 111 by slidingthe driven clutch member 120 forward into engagement with the drivingclutch member.

In both exemplifications described hereinabove the washing machinemember that is arranged for oscillatory or rotary movement has one ofits trunnion supports combined with a clutch which thus constitutes onebracket support for journaling the remov-. able washing machine member.The entire mechanism is very simple and permits ready disassembly 'ofthe parts while securing a structure of utmost rigidity and stiffness.

The'invention is not limited to the specific arrangement and details ofconstruction de scribodhereinabove and it is, accordingly,

desired that the appended claims be given a broad'constructioncommensurate with the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a power-driven washing machine comprising a supporting frame andwashing member arranged within said frame for rotary movement around ahorizontal axis,'a clutch housing detachably secured as a unit to theexterior of said frame and constituting a part of the outer wallthereof, a gear element within said clutch housing and removableherewith as a unit, a drive element carried by said frame driving saidgear element, a pair of co-operating clutch members in said housing forestablishing and breaking driving connection between said gear elementand said washing member, and a shaft extending through said housing andsupporting said clutch members, said shaft constituting one trunnionsupport for said washing member and having limited longitudinal movementalong the axis thereof to a position of disengagement from said washingmember, and means for locking said shaft in position of engagement withsaid member.

2. In a power-driven washing machine, a supporting frame, a washingmember within said frame arranged to be driven to produce washingaction, a housing attached to the exterior of the frame substantiallyflush with the walls of said frame, and a drive element carried by saidframe, said housing containing a clutch element operatively connected tosaid washing member to drive the same, a second clutch memher forcooperation with said first clutch member, and a driven member drivingsaid second clutch member and driven by said drive element, whereby thehousing and the elements it contains may be removed as a unit from saidmachine.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name this 12 day ofJuly,

LELAND G. KNAPP.

